British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, met with the President of China, Xi Jinping, in Beijing, this Thursday (29), for a meeting aimed at improving the economic relationship between the two countries, signaling progress in relations after years of distrust.
On the most important day of his four-day visit to China, Starmer was welcomed by Xi in the Great Hall of the People for a conversation expected to last around 40 minutes, before a joint lunch. He will also meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang later this Thursday.
Starmer, whose government has struggled to achieve promised economic growth, has made improving relations with China one of his priorities in the hope it could generate business opportunities.
“China is a vital player on the global stage and it is vital that we build a more sophisticated relationship,” Starmer told Xi at the start of the meeting.
Xi opened the meeting by saying that the relationship with Britain has undergone “turns” that did not serve the interests of either country and that China is ready to develop a long-term strategic partnership.
Starmer’s visit to China, the first by a British prime minister since 2018, comes amid tension between the UK and its long-time ally the United States over recent statements by US President Donald Trump, including threats to annex Greenland.
Kerry Brown, professor of Chinese studies at King’s College London, said he expected several agreements between the UK and China to be announced to demonstrate the improvement in bilateral relations.
“This needs to look like a success,” he said.
“For both sides, it is important to avoid a meeting that boils down to discussions on points of disagreement,” he added.
European and other Western countries have engaged in a series of diplomatic efforts with China, seeking to protect themselves from the unpredictability of the United States under the Trump administration.
Starmer’s visit comes on the heels of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to eliminate trade barriers, which angered Trump.
China is also eager to reestablish ties, describing the relationship with the United Kingdom as being at a “pivotal juncture.”
“China is ready to take this visit as an opportunity to strengthen political mutual trust with Britain, deepen practical cooperation… and together make necessary efforts and contributions to world peace, security and stability,” state news agency Xinhua said in an editorial on Wednesday (28).
Seeking a “mature” relationship
Starmer has adopted a new policy of engagement with China after years of deteriorating relations under previous Conservative governments, when London restricted some Chinese investment due to national security concerns and expressed concerns about a crackdown on political freedoms in Hong Kong.
“I made a promise 18 months ago when we were elected that I would open Britain back up to the world,” Starmer told Xi.
“Because, as we all know, events abroad affect everything that happens in our countries, from prices on supermarket shelves to our level of security,” added the Brit.
Kemi Badenoch, leader of the British opposition Conservative Party, said on Wednesday that he would not have gone to China due to the security risks the country poses.
British security services have said China routinely spies on the government. China denied the accusations.
In a speech to a delegation of business leaders hours after arriving in the country on Wednesday, Starmer said it was time for a “mature” relationship between the UK and the world’s second-largest economy.
He then dined at a Chinese restaurant known for its mushroom dishes, the same one that hosted former US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen during her visit in 2023.
In a sign of how countries can work together, Downing Street said Starmer and Xi would announce that the UK and China would collaborate to combat gangs involved in trafficking illegal immigrants.
The agreement will focus on reducing the use of Chinese-made engines in small boats used to transport people around Europe seeking asylum.
British and Chinese authorities will share information to identify smugglers’ supply routes and work with Chinese manufacturers to prevent legitimate companies from being exploited by organized crime, Downing Street said.
Starmer told reporters on the plane en route to China that he will “raise the issues that need to be raised” about human rights with Xi, when asked whether he would raise the case of Jimmy Lai, the former Hong Kong media mogul and British citizen convicted in December of crimes against national security.
But the presence of more than 50 business leaders accompanying Starmer and his itinerary demonstrates that the priority of this trip is economic ties.
